GFW Responds to Haiti Earthquake

Dear Friends,

We are all concerned about the ongoing crisis in Haiti. I would like to fill you in on how the Global Fund for Women is responding as the crisis continues to unfold.

First some good news. After sending a letter of solidarity, in French and English, to our grantee partners and advisors, we are relieved to report that our two advisors, Marie Agathe Baptiste and Nikette Lormeus, survived the earthquake. We have informed our grantee partners that they can use their current grants as needed in light of the crisis.

• We have been collaborating with sister organizations, including Madre, Ms. Foundation, Astraea Foundation and Women Thrive to ensure that we highlight the work of women during this disaster, especially as human rights defenders, to ensure that women voices are part of relief and re-building efforts. We know far too well the violence that usually accompanies disasters of this magnitude.
• So far we have raised over $10,000 in online appeals. Additionally, we received a gift of $10,000 from the Ms. Foundation. We decided to give an emergency grant of $20,000 to MADRE whose local partner, Zanme Lasante (Partners in Health in Haiti), is ready to receive medicines in their clinic. MADRE is also sending a delegation of midwives and health professionals to Haiti, so the grant will help support this delegation and a collection of blankets and emergency supplies. We have also put aside $10,000 to support the work of other GFW grantees such as CAFRA, Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, who might organize immediate efforts on the ground.
• GFW is also supporting an assessment team organized by our grantee partner CAFRA, and will include our advisor Flavia Cherry, to travel to Haiti in the following weeks to ensure that the humanitarian assistance is being delivered to vulnerable populations, including women and children.
• Our Americas Program Director Erika Guevara Rosas has been working with our GFW board member Lydia Alpizar, our advisors, and other feminist organizations in the region to create a coalition to respond to the crisis. Under the leadership of our grantee partner in the Dominican Republic, Colectiva Mujer y Salud, and the Feminist International Radio Endeavor, a "feminist camp" has been established on the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The purpose of the camp is to create a physical space from where all these feminist and women's organizations can coordinate efforts. FIRE is going to broadcast a radio program to share the stories of women, Colectiva Mujer y Salud will coordinate health services and the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the hands of women, and other organizations will coordinate activities from the camp. Our own advisors are offering their services and support, like Yamilet Mejia from Nicaragua is offering her expertise on psychological attention for survivors and Patricia Guerrero from Colombia her expertise on the prevention of sexual violence.
• We will prioritize responding to the needs of our grantees once we know their longer-term plans.

Thank you once again for your support in this critical period.

Please continue to also read our blog updates on Haiti.

In solidarity,

Kavita N. Ramdas